Unite was de-recognised by the ambulance service a year ago in a long-running dispute over patient safety which led to strikes in April and June.

The union claims £46m of budget cuts at the organisation will put patients in danger - but ambulance bosses have accused the union of making misleading claims.

Today, Unite called for an independent investigation by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to find out if patient safety is being compromised.

Mr Cunliffe added: “We would welcome an independent enquiry by the CQC to determine whether it is Unite or the trust’s executives who are misleading the public about the facts in this dispute, including the reason for Unite’s de-recognition, patient safety and whether the trust’s plan is focused on patient care or is just a five-year, £46m cost-cutting exercise.”